Vision, Culture and Values

Big Sandy Camp is an integral part of the North Central District, national, and worldwide fellowship of The Christian and Missionary Alliance and is united in governance, fellowship, and service in order to promote unity of faith in the fullness of Jesus Christ as Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King, and to facilitate the spread of the gospel at home and abroad under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

We strive to walk alongside the local church; specifically, C&MA churches in the North Central District. We are an extension of the church’s ministry, hosting and serving our churches in whatever way we can. Our desire is that as our church groups and individuals come on site; that each person can experience spiritual growth and go back to their homes and communities refreshed and ready to serve.

We desire that our campers and guests are challenged spiritually, physically, mentally, and socially, using their experiences while on site to help them grow in their faith and gain life-long friends who will encourage them in their walk with Christ. We seek to offer a safe, Christian community in a natural setting where everyone will discover and develop their faith. We want to each person to encounter God along with having tons of fun.

Our Vision

We will be guided by four facets of Vision:

Our Target – Every Man, Woman, and Child-Jesus made clear that he wanted all people to have an opportunity to hear and respond to his offer of redemption.

Our Mandate – To be the Light of the John 9:5 and Matthew 5:14 articulate a transition by which the people of God  become  light  bearers  in the world. We are profoundly responsible for the advance of light into darkness. We are called to push back darkness wherever it may be found in  our circle of influence.

Our Mission – To provide an environment where lives may be changed through a Christ centered experience.

Our Objectives Over the Next 10 Years:

  • To see 10,000 decisions by individuals to become Christ
  • The maximization of our facilities and grounds to their fullest
  • The engagement of 5,000 partners in prayer and financial support of the
  • The funding of five prioritized projects of our Master Site Plan and a 3- month reserve of annual
  • The development of an orderly succession plan for key staff

Our Culture

The culture we want to create at Big Sandy Camp:

  • A shared expectation that God is up to something good.
  • A shared urgency around the mission to bring light into dark places.
  • A shared commitment to see every man, woman, and child have an opportunity to hear and respond to the Gospel.
  • A shared passion to pursue, listen, and obey the Holy Spirit.
  • A shared desire to serve every camper, retreat attender, leader, and guest with a "Yes, We Can" attitude.

Our Values

The values we share at Big Sandy Camp:

The “Why”

  • Lost people matter to God
  • We want to see every man, woman, and child given the opportunity to hear the Gospel message

Ministry Mindset

  • Realize that we are here to serve – service
  • This is God’s work (not just a job!) – steward
  • Find ways to make Big Sandy Camp better – excellence
  • Whatever you do, do it unto the Lord – hospitality

Loyal

  • ‘Defend,’ ‘cover,’ and ‘protect’ each other
  • Pray for those you lead and for those who lead you
  • Be the ‘president’ of each other’s fan club

Joyful Spirit

  • Don’t complain
  • Be positive – ‘never bitter’
  • Have fun

Team Player

  • Work together (no competition)
  • Spirit of cooperation (share the workload)
  • Much can be accomplished for the Lord if we don't care who gets the credit

Share our lives together

  • Be a support network for each other
  • Pray for one another
  • Encourage one another
  • Care for one another

Discipleship Culture

  • Matthew 28:19 – we are about completing Christ’s commission by making disciples

Our Customers Matter

  • Provide a clean, safe environment where customers (guests) can experience the Lord
  • Provide quality food and dining services

Our Vision

We will be guided by four facets of Vision:

Our Target – Every Man, Woman, and Child-Jesus made clear that he wanted all people to have an opportunity to hear and respond to his offer of redemption.

Our Mandate – To be the Light of the John 9:5 and Matthew 5:14 articulate a transition by which the people of God  become  light  bearers  in the world. We are profoundly responsible for the advance of light into darkness. We are called to push back darkness wherever it may be found in  our circle of influence.

Our Mission – To touch hearts and change lives through innovative, Christ-centered activities, events, and this will be accomplished through the implementation of our Strategic Plan's themes and objectives.

Our Objectives Over the Next 10 Years:

  • To see 10,000 decisions by individuals to become Christ
  • The maximization of our facilities and grounds to their fullest
  • The engagement of 5,000 partners in prayer and financial support of the
  • The funding of five prioritized projects of our Master Site Plan and a 3- month reserve of annual
  • The development of an orderly succession plan for key staff

Our Culture

The culture we want to create at Big Sandy Camp:

  • A shared expectation that God is up to something good.
  • A shared urgency around the mission to bring light into dark places.
  • A shared commitment to see every man, woman, and child have an opportunity to hear and respond to the Gospel.
  • A shared passion to pursue, listen, and obey the Holy Spirit.
  • A shared desire to serve every camper, retreat attender, leader, and guest with a "Yes, We Can" attitude.

Our Values

The values we share at Big Sandy Camp:

  • Engage Fully – When you come to work make sure your heart and mind are fully engaged in the vision and objectives we A half-engaged heart creates a wave of poorly done work.
  • Make it Better – When you see something that could be improved, make it If it will take less than 2 minutes, make it better now. If it requires a team effort to make it better, speak up.
  • Lead Yourself First – Give your first and best energy to managing your personal disciplines and your emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual health.
  • Make Others Better – We lead by serving one Sometimes our work is done for the success of others.
  • Assume the Best – When there is a question or point of tension, we will assume good intentions and move into the situation with an open heart and a gracious When challenges or conflicts arise, we will talk to one another and avoid talking about one another. Never say something you would not say if your teammate were standing next to you.

Big Sandy Camp & Retreat Center seeks to touch hearts and change lives through innovative, Christ-centered activities, events and programs.

Big Sandy Camp & Retreat Center seeks to touch hearts and change lives through innovative, Christ-centered activities, events and programs. 

SPIRITUALLY

  • To give a clear presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
  • To challenge growth and maturity through application of God's Word in every area of the camper's life.
  • To teach acceptance of one's self as a person of worth, for whom God has a meaningful plan for their life.

PHYSICALLY

  • To encourage physical fitness, safety habits, and a healthy lifestyle.
  • To provide opportunity to participate in organized and unorganized activities.

MENTALLY

  • To help formulate an attitude of increased respect for themselves, their fellow campers and the world around them.

SOCIALLY

  • To provide an opportunity to develop friendships and accept others from various backgrounds.
  • To cultivate self-reliance and resourcefulness.

Camping at Big Sandy involves all areas of a person's life. We believe in the integration of the spiritual, physical, mental, and social aspects of the lives of our campers. At Big Sandy Camp we strive to make these connections through our programs and activities for campers of all ages.

Our camping program is designed to be an extension of the ministry of the local church. It is the Camp's desire that each person would experience spiritual growth and personal fulfillment through their camping experience and take those experiences home to their own local church and continue serving Christ.

Big Sandy Camp seeks to offer a safe, Christian Community in a natural setting where campers will discover and develop their own Christian faith, as well as a sense of personal achievement. The ministry of evangelism and bible study will be kept as a key part of the camp programming in order to stay true to our mission.